Stores to see in Omaha?

[Phog Allen]

Evening gents. My wife and I are taking our kids to the Henry Doorly zoo at Omaha Nebraska tomorrow. Well, really wednesday morning but we're leaving tomorrow morning and will shop around Omaha tomorrow and attend the zoo the next day. So, knowing nothing of Omaha other than the zoo, are there any good shops we should be looking for? Of course toiletries are in order but how about tobacco and piipe shops and maybe firearms stores? Of course I've got to find places for the wife and girls too. The do outnumber me three to one! I'm wide open to suggestions. We are staying at a Comfort Inn close to the zoo on 13st. if that gives you any idea of where we'll be located.

BTW, for those who've never attended Doorly, it's a great zoo. They've just recently completed a new great apes area and it should be good. The last time we were there, they had a Siberian tiger that had to have been at least TEN feet long from tip of nose to end of tail. Talk about your oversized litterbox. He gave no indication of seeing any of the visitors even though he was only about six feet away from us through the glass. He just stared ahead with very cold eyes. The sort of look that somone who's owed money would give you. Very nice exhibit indeed.

Regards, Todd

 

[vputz]

Todd, I have to agree with you about the Henry Doorly Zoo; I grew up in Omaha (Bellevue, really) and thought that's what a zoo was; when my wife and I visited the famed San Diego zoo on our honeymoon, we were expecting something awesome but wound up thinking "heck, the zoo back home is as good or better"...

...unfortunately, I can't advise you too well on shave/tobacco/firearms; I left home before being really interested in the first, and never cultivated a taste for the other two. You'll probably want to visit Central Park mall and the "old market" area, which is somewhat neat (a lot of old stores in a cobblestone/brick road area and some good restaurants), but I can't advise you well, I'm afraid. If any of your family has an interest in plants, the Lauritzen Botanical Gardens are fairly nice (and they've got a great restored steam locomotive there that's worth walking around just to think things like "that wheel would crush me like a grape!")

Sorta funny, since I just got back from there last Saturday from a week-long trip visiting relatives, but most of my old (and new) stomping grounds are favorites not because they're great, but because of the memories. For example, I know an interesting bar/restaurant where you can get some pretty good fried chicken and they dump the cleaned-up bones on a table outside a plate glass window, where they are set upon by several raccoons and the house cats--which is both a great unhealthy dinner and a swell floor show--but that's not exactly the sort of place most tourists are looking for...

Vic

 

[Phog Allen]

Hi Vic. Thanks for the repsonse. Well, the trip went off without a hitch. Temperatures were in the upper 70's to very low 80's with DRY air. If none of you are familiar with the high plains in July, it's usually an oven and humid as Naw'lins, Loozeeana. This was a most welcome treat for us, especially on Wednesday when went to the zoo. The new Gorilla exhibit was fantastic. Quite a lot of big males. The largest went around 455lbs! His back was about three feet wide. What a gargantuan animal. The auqarium is not to be missed. It's one that you walk under so to speak and can see the sharks, rays, and turtles swimming besied and above you. Very nice.

We hit the Old Market area of town and stopped at a number of shops. There was a super nice tobacconist's shop. A really nice selection of pipe tobaccos both tinned and bulk and a good cigar humidor. http://www.cigarcia.com Definately stop in if you go by Omaha. We also ate lunch at a local brewery called Upstream Brewing Company. http://www.upstreambrewing.com
A very atmospheric place and the food was as good as any brewpub/pub type place. The prices were reasonable too. A very nice place to visit it resides in an old fire station. There are eleven pool tables in the upstairs area and they are nice, solid hardwood with leather pockets. There's a large opening in the upper level to let you look down into the main pub area. Really nice decor and super nice layout all around. Definately worth seeing. Fourth of July evening we ate dinner at Rick's Cafe Boatyard. This is located along the banks of the mighty Mo. river and is quite nice. I was expecting pub food when we pulled up. The nice girl at the desk of the hotel we stayed at recommended but seeing as how she was college age, I thought to myslef; "pub food". I couldn't have been more wrong. While there is that option on the menu, they also have a splendid seafood and steak selection. My eldest daughter had the filet mignon and it was done to perfection. I had a London Broil with a Zinfandel and mushroom reduction sauce and it was superb. This is definately pricier by far than pub food but is alos several SERIOUS notches above it as well. We then retired to the river's edge and watched a spectacular fireworks display. Truly and enjoyable evening and well worth every dollar spent. Do yourself a favour if you're ever staying over in Omaha. Hit the zoo, visit Old Market(hit the 13th street exit off of I-80 and head North in to downtown. Turn righton Jackson or Howard streets and enjoy), and take in the Upstream. Being that Omaha is cattle country just like K.C., there are good steakhouses there too. One that we wanted to try but coudln't because it was closed for the fourth was Brother Sebatians. Google this up as a steakhouse and check out their website. We will dine there the next time we're in Omaha. I have some good pics of the zoo animals and I'll try to post them up this weekend.

Regards, Todd

Edited: what the heck, here's the link to Brother Sebastian's http://brosebs.com/ Go to the "about us" link and click on "tour". A most beautiful establishment. Good on ya Omaha.

 

[MAB]

Although this is late, I can say a bit about the Omaha area since I am from it. As far as shaving things goes, the only places that I know about are the Crabtree and Evelyn stores at One Pacific Place, and Truefitt and Hill and Art of Shaving stuff at Von Maur department store in Westroads mall. Although in the Regency area there are some upscale men's clothing stores that might carry some upscale toiletries, but I've never been in them.

Brother Sebastian's is cool, but my favorite steak place in Omaha is Johnny's in south O. Good place to eat.

 

[guenron]

Although this is late, I can say a bit about the Omaha area since I am from it. As far as shaving things goes, the only places that I know about are the Crabtree and Evelyn stores at One Pacific Place, and Truefitt and Hill and Art of Shaving stuff at Von Maur department store in Westroads mall. Although in the Regency area there are some upscale men's clothing stores that might carry some upscale toiletries, but I've never been in them.

Brother Sebastian's is cool, but my favorite steak place in Omaha is Johnny's in south O. Good place to eat.

Grossly understated. Johnny's (at the stockyards) is a GREAT place to eat!
Haven't been there since 1984 or 5..

 

[Phog Allen]

Grossly understated. Johnny's (at the stockyards) is a GREAT place to eat!
Haven't been there since 1984 or 5..

See there? That's the kind of good information a fella needs. Since Omaha is only a 3+ hour drive from my home, these sorts of mini trips can be made a couple of times a year. Johnny's goes on the try list.

Regards, Todd

 

[MAB]

Ron, good point. It has recently come to my attention that some chain steakhouse place also named Johnny's opened up way out on W Dodge in Omaha, so make sure you go to the ACTUAL Johnny's. It's in South O in the stockyards. Incidentally, they filmed part of the movie 'About Schmidt' in Johnny's. It's the scene where he is honored by his company.

 

[guenron]

Ron, good point. It has recently come to my attention that some chain steakhouse place also named Johnny's opened up way out on W Dodge in Omaha, so make sure you go to the ACTUAL Johnny's. It's in South O in the stockyards. Incidentally, they filmed part of the movie 'About Schmidt' in Johnny's. It's the scene where he is honored by his company.

I had a humongous porterhouse, RARE. Can you believe it? I can still remember that monster. It was so tender and so tasty.. That was over 20 years ago. If I recall, I passed on partaking dessert. If I can see it in my minds eye, they had some very appealing cheese cake or was it strawberry short cake?